Obama defends Larry Summers

President Barack Obama delivered a full-throated defense of former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers at a meeting with House Democrats, although he cautioned that he has not decided whom he will choose to lead the Federal Reserve.

Obama was asked whether he has made a decision about whom he will name. The president launched into a defense of Summers, saying the former senior White House aide worked to keep the nation’s economy afloat when it was on the brink, according to attendees at the closed-door meeting.

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The topic was raised by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), who urged the president not to choose Summers, according to a source in the room . After delivering his defense, Obama sought to ease the tension in the room.

“The good news is I would defend all of you,” Obama told Democrats, according to an attendee. The Democrats in the meeting laughed.

The possibility that Obama could nominate Summers rather than Fed Vice Chairwoman Janet Yellen, a popular choice, has divided the House Democratic Caucus.

But in a meeting shortly afterward with Senate Democrats, Obama didn’t defend any Fed candidate specifically and would say only that he is meeting with possible candidates, according to Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

“He said that he’d interviewed many people whose names have been mentioned and many whose names have not been mentioned,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “He didn’t mention anybody specifically.”

Durbin, who has boosted Yellen, said he likes her “progressive views” and indicated concerns with Summers.

“I’m not saying I’ll vote against him, but I’ll certainly have some questions,” Durbin said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Obama acknowledged the divisions over the two candidates, but she emphasized the members in the meeting said that because the Fed chairmanship is a long-term appointment, it carries extra weight.

“Whoever the president chooses will be received with great respect from our caucus,” said Pelosi, who has not publicly backed a particular candidate but has indicated she would like to see a woman get the job.

The president made a rare trip to the Capitol on Wednesday morning as part of an effort to rally the troops behind his return to talking about the economy, striking a “grand bargain” and staying strong in support of the health care law.

After leaving the House meeting, Obama met with the Senate Democratic Caucus for about 70 minutes in the ornate Lyndon Baines Johnson Room.

Obama urged senators to go on offense about the benefits of Obamacare in the face of continued GOP assaults on the law.

“We have to remind people that a lot of good things are happening,” Obama said, according to Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with the Democrats. “Don’t be on the defensive.”

Unlike normal caucus meetings, lawmakers did not trickle out early. The first to leave the meeting after about 50 minutes was Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who said Obama was focused on “jobs, jobs, jobs.” Murphy estimated that most of the meeting was devoted to praising Obama’s “enthusiasm for jobs.”

“He talked about how to create opportunities economically for folks who are still struggling,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii.), who added, “Almost every topic came up.”

One topic that didn’t come up: gun control, said Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). The Senate was scheduled to vote on confirmation of Todd Jones to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives minutes after the president left the Capitol.

In addition to Obama, the members had another guest: Republican Sen. John McCain cracked open the door for a cameo. Applause broke out when the deal-making Republican peeked into the meeting. McCain tweeted afterward that he “opened the wrong door” and said to the Democrats: “My mistake.”

“Lighten up everybody,” McCain added as both criticism and praise ricocheted across social media.

Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, joined House leadership at a post-caucus press conference, saying the president focused on his desire to reach compromise with Republicans.

“We’re going to put that compromise on the ballot in 2014 and the need for compromise and the need for jobs in the middle class,” Israel said.